The present invention relates to a contact insertion tool and, more particularly, a tool for facilitating the insertion of an electrical contact into a contact receiving bore of a resilient electrical connector and a unitary control mechanism for such a tool.
An electrical connector normally utilizes an insulator body in which the electrical contacts are mounted. The body is formed of a resilient material in some connectors with the contacts being mounted within bores extending through the body. In addition, the contacts are sometimes retained in the bores in the body by means of one or more internal diameter restrictions which extend radially inwardly from the wall of the bores to cooperatively engage a reduced diameter portion of the contacts. The insertion of contacts directly into the bores in the body sometimes causes damage to the internal diameter restrictions with insertion of the contacts being slow and difficult at best. Accordingly, the focus of those skilled in the art has been directed to development of a contact insertion tool capable of overcoming these problems in order to render fully effective resilient electrical connectors.
Some prior art devices for use in inserting electrical contacts into contact receiving bores in resilient electrical connectors essentially force the contacts into the bores. Such devices have not included means by which the bores can gradually be expanded, means for retracting a part of the opening means, and then means for removing the remainder of the opening means in a manner avoiding harm to the connector and permitting the bore to gradually return to its normal size and shape. Without these features, such prior art devices clearly do nothing to alleviate the possibility of damage to the internal diameter restrictions in the bores of a connector.
Other prior art devices for use in inserting electrical contacts into contact receiving bores in resilient electrical connectors do expand the bores prior to insertion of the contacts. Contacts are inserted in the expanded bores and the expansion apparatus is removed allowing the internal walls of the bores to contract and hold the contacts but these devices generally have not included means enabling quick insertion and removal of the expansion apparatus nor ready insertion of the contacts by application of near zero insertion forces. Additionally, such prior art devices have generally not included contact insertion tools which are hand operated and portable for use with resilient electrical connectors.